The Myth of Redemptive Violence

I've been blogging long enough, since 2007, to have seen theological conversations come and go. Certain theological ideas enter the blogosphere (now more an ecosystem of newsletters and podcasts) to become hot and viral topics of conversations, only to be forgotten as time passes.

One of those ideas that I've seen come and go is the "myth of redemptive violence." 

After 9/11, during the Bush administration and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, there was a lot of conversation online about Constantinianism, Empire, and pacifism. During the hunt for Osama Bin Ladin, we debated issues like the use of torture, waterboarding, and "enhanced interrogation." After Obama's election, much of that discussion went away. 

I was reminded of this season recently in a conversation with one of my students. We were discussing theological issues related to the use of power and violence. During our conversation I asked, "Have you heard about the myth of redemptive violence?" He had not. Which struck me, because there was a time not long ago when it seemed that everyone was talking about this idea.

The "myth of redemptive violence" was named and described by the theologian Walter Wink, whose work on "the principalities and powers" was widely discussed online in those post-9/11 years. What is the myth of redemptive violence? Chat GPT summarizes (I find that I'm querying Chat GPT the way I used to consult Wikipedia) the myth of redemptive violence this way:

The myth of redemptive violence is a concept that suggests that the use of violence can ultimately lead to redemption or salvation, either for individuals or for society as a whole. It is a belief that violence can be justified or even necessary in order to achieve a greater good or to right a perceived wrong. This myth often arises in various forms in literature, mythology, religion, and popular culture.

The myth of redemptive violence often follows a familiar narrative arc, where a hero or group of heroes use violence to overcome evil or injustice, and in doing so, bring about a resolution or restoration of order. This narrative may portray violence as a means to achieve justice, protect the innocent, or restore balance, and it is often glorified or romanticized in storytelling.

The basic idea behind the myth of redemptive violence is that evil can only be defeated by good people taking and violently wielding power. As noted above, this myth sits behind much of the imagination we find in literature, mythology, and popular culture. For example, every superhero move is founded upon the myth of redemptive violence. Superheroes are powerful, but they are good. Being good, they use their power to defeat evil in a climatic Boss Fight at the end of the movie. The world is saved by good people using violence to defeat evil. 

Anyway, if you were reading Christian blogs back during the Golden Age of blogging, you know all this already. The myth of redemptive violence was widely discussed back then, when America was a war and torturing its enemies. But I've found with my students, who were not alive the day the towers fell in NYC, that they have never encountered rich theological ideas that used to be commonplace, ideas like the myth of redemptive violence. 

Keeping these ideas alive and the conversation going is important, but will take some intentionality given how we move from theological fad to theological fad. Because my students, who have been raised on Marvel movies, have no idea how deeply they have imbibed an imagination for violence.